Bearspaw South Feeder Main Repair Weekly Update #2 (August 28, 2024)

BILD Calgary Region Bulletin 2024 – 43

Please find a membership update bulletin provided by The City of Calgary regarding the Bearspaw South Feeder Main Repair.

Good afternoon,

This email is to update you on the status of the repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main. The repair period began on August 26th and is expected to be complete by the end of September. To support the repair, Calgary is under Stage 4 Outdoor Water Use Restrictions, which means no outdoor water use. We have also asked residents and businesses to reduce indoor usage by 25%. Calgary is targeting 450 million litres per day during the repair period.

Repair Status

1. The feeder main is offline and being drained.  As we drain the feeder main, Calgarians may see crews flushing water in the area.
2. Water is no longer flowing through the feeder main, which means Calgary is now relying heavily on water produced by the Glenmore Treatment Plant.
3. A fibre optic acoustic monitoring system has been installed inside the pipe that will continuously monitor the condition of the pipe and replace our external monitoring devices.
4. 21 sites needing repair have been arranged into 8 groupings and sequenced based on operational, workforce and local impact considerations. Repair works are starting at locations on 33^rd Avenue and Shouldice Park.
5. Site fencing and temporary access are in place at the first repair locations in the 33^rd Avenue and Shouldice Park areas. Excavation has begun.

Image: Excavation has started to expose the pipe.

Water Demand Status

1. Demand on Calgary’s water supply remains high. On Tuesday, demand was 497 million litres. Our safe target during the repair period is 450 million litres per day.
2. We are increasing monitoring in the community, and Bylaw Officers are responding to 3-1-1 water misuse calls.  Non-compliance with the water bylaw can result in fines starting from $3,000.
3. The City is reducing its own water use while continuing to serve the recreational and wellness needs of our community. Examples of actions being taken at City facilities include closing hot tubs and steam rooms, adjusting cleaning procedures to conserve water, reducing the frequency of ice surface flooding (where possible, without compromising the safety of our customers), adjusting programming at our art centers to conserve water, and stopping watering of plants, flowers, and irrigation of grass at City-owned buildings.

Upcoming

1. Roadway closure and detour plans continue to be refined and implemented. While traffic on 16^th Avenue is not expected to be impacted for the long weekend, the repair work will require some road closures in the immediate area. Visit calgary.ca/trafficinfo for the latest traffic information.
2. The City’s Mobility team is supporting specific requests including temporary commercial parking. Way finding support is in development for impacted businesses.
3. We are adjusting our communication strategies as needed and will continue sharing water reduction messaging throughout the long weekend.

Key Messages

1. We cannot meet normal water demand while the repairs are taking place. If we consistently exceed our target of 450 million litres, we will put our drinking water at risk of running out of water.
   1. We could also face boil water advisories if our underground reservoirs run dry. This is because it would cause a drop in water pressure that could lead to contaminants entering the system.
   2. To refill our reservoirs takes time and would have some serious impacts on our ability to provide water for firefighting and other essential uses.
2. Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions are in place which prohibit the outdoor use of potable City water. For more information, visit calgary.ca/savewater.
3. All residents, including businesses and institutions, are being asked to reduce indoor water use by 25%. There are three main ways to use less water indoors: take shorter showers (3 mins or less), only run full loads for clothes and dishes, and flush toilet only when needed.
4. Continuing these water reduction efforts is incredibly important as we manage through the feeder main repair, to ensure we have enough water for essential uses.
5. We encourage residents and visitors to shop in the Bowness and Montgomery communities as these communities are impacted by the construction.

Resources

1. Visit calgary.ca/savewater for regular updates.
2. Visit calgary.ca/savewateratwork for tips on how your business sector can reduce water use.
3. Visit calgary.ca/trafficinfo for the latest traffic information.
4. Find responses to our most asked questions at Frequently Asked Questions, including questions about outdoor water restrictions, construction activities, repair work and Calgary’s water distribution network.
5. Information on accessing non-potable water stations:
   1. Non-potable water stations – Commercial use
   2. Non-potable water stations – Residential use
6. Access potable water demand data via the Potable Water Demand Dashboard.
7. The updated FAQ’s will be circulated to BILD Membership shortly with two additional questions.

We understand the return to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and indoor water reductions are challenging. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to limit water use so we can get through this repair period and return the Bearspaw South Feeder Main to service.